Abstract:
Nucleic acid aptamers are small pieces of DNA or RNA designed not to convey genetic information but to bind tightly to specific proteins and other biological molecules. Numerous investigators have used aptamers as replacements for antibodies in various therapeutic and diagnostic applications, and now a team at McMaster University has found a third use for these versatile molecules – as the heart of a DNA-protein nanoengine that can be programmed to release therapeutically useful molecules in response to a programmed molecular signal.